In December 2024, the Mormon Church released a new chapter in the children’s Doctrine and Covenants Stories discussing polygamy. This chapter framed polygamy as a commandment from God, emphasizing how difficult it was for Joseph Smith to obey and acknowledging that his wife, Emma, strongly opposed it. It even included references to early church leaders being imprisoned for practicing polygamy.
The release of this chapter sparked widespread criticism. Many felt that the LDS church teaching polygamy was a heavy and controversial topic that was inappropriate for children, with some going as far as to claim that the church was normalizing grooming and sexual coercion. In response, the Mormon Church has now quietly altered the chapter, removing key phrases and entire sections.
But why did they make these changes? Was it due to the overwhelming backlash? Is this evidence that the church caves under public pressure? Or was this simply a routine revision?
In this episode, John is joined by Julia from Analyzing Mormonism and Alyssa Witbeck to break down these changes and what they mean for the church moving forward. We compare the original chapter to the revised version, discussing how these edits shift the narrative and what the implications are for modern Mormonism.
🔹 Did the church originally include this lesson to reinforce belief in polygamy?
🔹 Are they now backtracking to avoid further scrutiny?
🔹 How does this compare to past instances where the church altered controversial teachings?
🔹 What does this mean for members who still believe polygamy was divinely commanded?
We also explore the broader impact of these changes, including the role of historians, excommunication of members who challenge the official polygamy narrative, and the continued harm that polygamy inflicts on women today—both historically and in its eternal doctrinal implications.
Join us for a deep dive into the Mormon Church’s evolving stance on polygamy, its struggle with public relations, and the ongoing debate about how this history should be taught.
